The exemplary embodiment relates to email processing. It finds particular application in connection with a system for the detection of missing email attachments and will be described with particular reference thereto.
Email allows a person to send textual messages electronically to other email users anywhere in the world. Frequently, other information, such as, for example, word processing documents, images, spreadsheet files, executable files, and audio files, is appended to the email in the form of an attachment. An email system typically involves a server-based mail program residing on a server computer to manage the exchange of email messages over one or more networks and a client-based email program residing on the client to implement a mail box that receives and holds the email messages for a user. Typically, these client-based programs also include a graphical user interface to enable a user to easily and conveniently open and read email messages in addition to creating new email messages.
An email user will typically create a message using an email program running on a computer connected to a computer network, such as a local area network (LAN), a wide area network (WAN), or the Internet. The message will include an email “address” for the intended recipient. When the user has finished entering the message, the user may “send” the message to the intended recipient. The email program then electronically transmits the message over the computer network. The recipient, using an email program running on the recipient's computer, can then “receive” the message.
It is not uncommon for an email user to forget to attach a document before hitting the send button. Systems have been developed to alert a user before a message has been sent of the absence of an attachment. One approach is to prompt a user every time an email message is to be transmitted as to whether or not an attachment is desired. However, this expends user time which is unnecessary in most cases. As a result, a user may disable such a system and rely on memory.
Another approach is to scan the content of an email for words which suggest that the user wanted to attach a document. When the user tries to send the email, in the case where such words are detected and no document is attached, a dialog box is opened to ask the user if he wants to send the email as is, or if he wants to attach one or multiple attachments prior to sending the email.
Such systems are based on a simple word spotting approach: if a word which belongs to a predefined “watch list” (such as “attached,” “enclosed,” or “file”) is detected in the email, a warning is issued. Such an approach can result in either a high missed detection rate or a high false detection rate, depending on the size of the watch list. For example, if the word “presentation” were to be included in the watch list, a message such as “I still haven't had time to look at your presentation.” would result in a false detection. On the other hand, if it is not included, a message such as “Here is the presentation your requested.” would result in a missed detection.